Furniture



Oct. 14, 1969 J, SVOBODA ET AL. 3,472,394

FURNITURE 3 Sheets-Sheet. 1

FIG. 2

Filed March 13. 1967 FIG.

Oct. 14, 1-969 J. SVOBODA ET AL 3,472,394

FURNITURE Filed March 13, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 14, 1969 FiledMarch 13, 1967 FIG. 8

J. SVOBODA ET AL FURNITURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 9

I "JULY sat United States Patent 3472,394 FURNITURE Johann Svoboda andRudolf Svoboda, both of 28 Purkersdorferstrasse, 3%0 St. Polteu, AustriaFiled Mar. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 622,570 Claims priority, applicationAustria, Mar. 11, 1966, A 2,344/66; Apr. 29, 1966, A 4,088/66 Int. Cl.A47f 5/12 U.S. Cl. 211-169 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A furnitureunit comprising a carrier structure pivotally mounted on a horizontalcrossbeam of a stand by means of guided rod pairs for pivoting thcarrier structure from a feed position of vertical alignment into anoperating position laterally offset from said vertical alignment andbalanced in each position with respect to a perpendicular symmetricalplane of the furniture unit, the pair of guide rods each formed ofU-shape including legs and each disposed operatively on different sidesof the carrier structure, and including a base between the two legsoriented parallel to the pivoting axis and shaped as a handle.

The present invention relates to furniture, in general, and to a pieceof furniture featuring carrier media such as plates, frames, vats or thelike, on a horizontal crossbeam of a stand, connected to each other forcounterrotating motion by means of guide rod pairs from a feed positionwith vertical alignment into an operative position, showing them, viewedfrom the top, side by side so as to be balanced in every position withrespect to a perpendicular symmetrical plane of the furniture piece, inparticular.

Such a furniture piece can b simply moved from a space saving feedposition into an operating position where the objects are placed on thefurniture piece, for instance, work tools, items of current use,registration and file matters, like suspended folders and/or file cards,dishes or drinks, tableware, etc., clearly arranged and readily at handso as to be easily and rapidly removed or serviced, respectively.

However, difficulties have arisen in connection with positioning theguide rod pairs on a known furniture piece of the type referred to, atthe carrier media and stand in such a manner as to obtain an accurateparallel direction and to avoid edging complicating operations of thefurniture piece, or to render such operations impossible.

A further disadvantage may result in that the carrier media can, leaveits horizontal position and the objects carried may become displaced ordrop. These disadvantages are more pronounced the longer the period ofuse and the more frequently the operation occurs.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a furniture pieceeliminating the disadvantages mentioned and, particularly, securing fora prolonged period the parallel position of the guide rod pairs evenunder constant operating conditions of the. furniture piece, andadditionally permitting easier handling.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a furniturepiece, comprising two guide rods each, placed on various sides of thecarrier media and formed from the leg of a U-shaped how the base thereofbeing parallel to the axis of swivelling, and preferably shaped as ahandle.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a furniturepiece including elastically resilient legs of the U-shaped bows andsnap-in locks provided at the bearings of the horizontal crossbearns ofthe stand for securing the feed and operating positions, respectively,of the carrier media.

ice

It is still another object of the present invention to provide afurnitur piece wherein the snap-in lock consists of a plate, preferablyof plastic, mounted on the crossbeam and having a bore for the swivelpin of the guide rod and two snap-in slots with sections complementaryto the guide rods and with center lines passing through the center axisof the bore.

It is yet still another object of th present invention to provide afurniture piece wherein the snap-in action may be adjusted to the loadweight, e.g. in the case of a furniture piece used as a card file. Also,it is possible to provide for a suitable compensation in case ofpotential wear and tear of the snap-in lock and loss of the elasticityof the guide rod.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide afurniture piece providing for adjustment and subsequent repositioning ofthe snap-in lock, so as to modify the snap-in action. In thisconnection, a preferable embodiment includes a positioning screw havingan axis identical to the turning in pin for the guide rod on thecrossbeam of the stand, adjustment of which will result in shifting thesnap-in plate to or from the guide rod. Also, the framework of theinvention provides for an intermediate plate between the snap-in nuthaving a guide slot and the crossbeam, on which intermediate plate thescrew end facing the guide rod is housed. Due to the elastic actionmaterialized on the guide rod, the plate, the thin intermediate plateand the pin are pressed against the adjusting screw. The thinintermediate plate is then pressed, by adjusting the screw, to the platehaving a slot, providing for a resilient bending of the guide rod orrods. By tightening th screw, the snap-in action is increased in bothpositions; by loosening and re-positioning the screw in the oppositeturning direction, the action is diminished. In lieu of the screw withthe hexagonal hole an. excenter may be used or a wedge may be provided,positioned in the guide on the crossbeam and housing the pin.

It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide afurniture piece wherein adjusting of the snap-in plate is accomplishedby the plate, having a cavity for reception of the guide rod pin, andequipped with a screw bolt capable of being screwed in and out from anut thread of the top stand crossbeam. So as to avoid turning of thesnap-in plate, e.g., a set screw is provided, capable of being screwedfrom that side of the crossbeam of the stand not facing the guide rod,into the latter one, and reaching still into the snapin plate with itsend. For turning the snap'in plate, the screw is removed and afterhaving turned the plate by or more, the screw is reset. For the purposeof setting, a resilient snap may be used instead of the screw.

It is further yet another object of the present invention to provide afurniture piece wherein the upper crossbeam of the stand is providedwith a bracket at its free end having a T-like shape. This bracketholds, symmetrically to the turning pin and to the position of the same,two nut threads receiving, in an adjustable manner, one screw each,having a hexagon or an operating blade, the head of such a screw, facingthe guide rod, being equipped with brackets or inserts of embossed shapeand particularly made of plastic material. Depending whether the screwsare adjusted more or less towards the crossbeam or the guide rod, a moreor less important snap-in lock action will result with respect to theguide rod. By adopting this type, the snap-in plate may be omittedresulting in a simplification of the elements involved.

With the above and other objects in view, which will become apparent inthe following detailed description, the present invention will beclearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the furniture piece in feed position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation in operating position;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the furniture piece; FIG. 4 is anenlarged detail of the snap-in lock of FIG. 2

FIG. 5 is a plan view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the elements for theadjustment device of the snap-in action;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of FIG. 6 in the connected position;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of FIG. 6 in the connected position;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view of another embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a front elevation of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a side elevation of the guide rod or rods, showing, asexample, a further embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 12 is a front elevation of FIG. 11.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1-5, afurniture piece, illustrated for example as a file register, comprisesframes 1 for receiving suspended folders 2 by way of guide rodparallelograms 3 in a swivel position on a horizontal crossbeam 4 of astand 6 equipped with guide rolls 5. The two frames 1 are placed in thefeed position as shown in FIG. 1 vertically one above the other. Bypressing the upper frame 1 in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG.1, the upper frame 1 may be swivelled to the right and the lower frame 1to the left into the operating position of FIG. 2. Each guide rod 3 ispivotally connected at its ends at pivot connections 3a and 3b to bothof the frames 1, respectively. The guide rod pairs 3 permit thesecuring, at all times, of both frames 1 at the same distance from thesymmetrical plane of the furniture piece, keeping a constant equlibriumin all positions. In this connection, it is assumed that both frames 1have essentially the same contents, for instance an equal number ofsuspended folders 2. Each of both guide rods has the shape of a U-bow,the legs thereof being the sides of the rods 3, and the base, beingparallel to the swivelling axis, forming the handle bar 7. By theU-shape of the guide rods 3 an accurate parallel positioning withrespect to the guide rods on both sides of the frame is achieved,avoiding edging when swivelling.

The bearings of the guide rods 3 are made as snap-in locks 20comprising, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, snap-in plates 8, preferably madeof plastic material, mounted on the inner sides of the verticalcrossbeams 4. These plates have bores 9 for receiving a swivel pin 10for the guide rods 3. Furthermore, the plates 8 are provided withsnap-in slots 11, the shape of which is complementary to the guide rods3. The center lines of the slots 11 cross the center axis of swivel pin10. When the U-shaped uide rods, for instance, are made of steel, legs 3swing and snap-into or click thus into place in slots 11, or snap-outfrom these slots respectively when pressing or pulling handle 7 so as tocause the swivelling of the guide rods and the frame 1. In the clickedor releasably locked states of the guide rods, both the feed position(FIG. 1) and the operating position (FIG. 2) are maintained. It issufiicient, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, to provide in each case one ofthe U-shaped bows forming the guide rods with a bearing as shown inFIGS. 4 and 5; but the snap-in locks 20 may also be assigned by pairs toboth guide rods 3 with identical bearings. Additionally, stand 6 may beequipped with stops for the guide rods 3.

Referring now again to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 6and 7, respectively, another embodiment of the present inventioncomprises a nut thread 21 in the upper stand crossbeam which receivesfrom the side facing the guide rod 3 a set screw 19 with an externallyprovided hexagonal hole 22 (inbus screw), and at its other end with abearing hole 23 for the bearing pin 10. The snap-in plate 8 has twoprojections 24 on the side facing the guide rod 3, serving forelastically bending the guide rod 3 when shifting from one to anotherposition. The snap-in plate 8 has a guide slot 25 on the side facing thecrossbeam 4. The bearing pin 10 passes through a hole 27 in the snap-inplate, engaging with the guide rod 3 in a hole therein. Between thesnap-in plate 8 and the crossbeam 4, an intermediate plate 28 isprovided through which the pin 10 passes into the bearing hole 23 ofscrew 19. The intermediate plate 28 fits into the guide slot 25. Screw19' presses against the intermediate plate 28 when screwing the same inthe threads 21 for the purpose of increasing the snap-in action. Theelastic action of the crossbeam 4 assures the unity of the elements.When inserting the screw 19 with the hexagonal hole 22 into the threads21 of crossbeam 4, the intermediate plate 28 presses the snap-in plate 8in the direction of the guide rod 3 so as to elastically increase thetension on the latter, permitting increased clicking or snap lockinginto the snap-in position. The advantages mentioned above are obtainedin this way.

Referring now again to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 8, 9and 10, another embodiment of a furniture piece according to the presentinvention includes the snap-in plate 8, but omitting slot 25, and isequipped with a threaded pin 30 which can be screwed in and out of abore made as a nut thread, and having a thread 31, positioned oncrossbeam 4. For fixing the position of the snap-in plate 8, a thread isprovided at the rim of the latter, able to receive an adjusting screw 32by a thread in crossbeam 4. So as to obtain resilient tension of guiderod 3 and to be able to adjust the snap-in plate on or off the latter,the screw 32 is screwed out to such a point so as to set the snap-inplate free, enabling its turning as required; that is, as the case mayrequire, 360 until the nut thread returns to the position of identicalaxis when the screw 32 is re-tightened for setting.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show another embodiment of the present invention withthe replacement of the snap-in plate 8 by holding pins. Crossbeam 4 hasa T-like end piece 33 added thereto. The piece 33 is provided withthreaded bores 34. Their position is such as to enable guide rod 3 tolie in the full line position and in the dashed line position on theholding pins 35 facing the rod. These holding pins 35 have threads andare adjustable in the bores 34 by means of hexagonal heads or wingedheads added to the pins, the holding bolts having embossed brackets 36on the end facing the guide rod, and the pin too, respectively,preferably made of a hard synthetic material, or the like. Such aconstruction will assure the same effect as shown with the embodimentsof FIGS. 6 to 10.

The invention has been described, as an example, used with an ofiicefurniture piece having frames as the carrier media for suspended hangingcard folders. These frames may hold in lieu of or in addition theretofile cases. But it is also possible to insert file vats as carrier meansfor file cards. The present invention is not limited to the type ofcarrier media and of register and file items serviced by them.

The furniture piece in accordance with the present invention, forexample, is also for use as a service car for bottles with drinks andappropriate glasses. Also the use for readily keeping and storing handtools and similar items; is possible. Additionally, the invention in itsprinciple, is not limited to two carrier media. Moreover, a multiplenumber of carrier media may be used, particularly if the depth of thesecarrier media does not require excessive dimensions, and for this reasonno excessive width in operating position is necessary due to thestaggered arrangement of such carrier means. The height of objects to beplaced on the carrier media is therefore by no means unimportant withrespect to the possibility of providing for a greater number of carriermeans.

Additionally, the invention is not limited to the particular embodimentdescribed. Herein carrier means includes plates, frames, vats, or thelike.

We claim:

1. A furniture piece, comprising:

a stand including a horizontal crossbeam,

two U-shaped guide rods, each having two leg portions and a base portiontherebetween, and pivotally connected about a pivot axis parallel tosaid base portion and spaced from each other, substantially at thecenters of said leg portions, to said horizontal crossbeam,

at least two carrier means pivotally connected to the ends of said legportions, respectively, of said two U-shaped guide rods forming at leastthree pivot connections, one of said carrier means located above saidcrossbeam and another below said crossbeam, thereby being connected toeach other for a counterrotating motion via said two U-shaped guide rodsfrom a feed position with vertical alignment into an operating positionof offset vertical alignment, and

said pivot connections located so that in all operating positions saidtwo carrier means are balanced with respect to a perpendicularsymmetrical plane through said furniture piece.

2. The furniture piece, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a pivot bearing pin defining said pivot axis pivotally connecting saidcenters of said U-shaped guide rods to said crossbeam,

at least one snap-in lock means mounted on at least one of said pivotbearings for cooperatively releasably locking said guide rods, and

said leg portions of said guide rods are elastically resilient andadapted to be secured releasably by said snap-in lock means in said feedand operating positions of carrier means, respectively.

3. The furniture piece, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said snap-inlock means comprises,

a plate mounted on said crossbeam, and having a bore therein, saidbearing pin passing therethrough, and two slots complementary to saidleg portions of said guide rods, the center lines of said slots passingthrough the center axis of said bore.

4. The furniture piece, as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said snap-in lock means may be adjusted and repositioned, respectively,for the purpose of modifying the locking action.

5. The furniture piece, as set forth in claim 3, further comprising:

a set screw adjustably screwed into said crossbeam of said stand,

said bearing pin coaxially secured to said set screw,

said set screw operatively connected to said snap-in lock means forpermitting the shifting of the latter to and from the guide rod byadjusting of said set screw.

6. The furniture piece, as set forth in claim 5, further comprising:

an intermediate plate provided between said crossbeam and said snap-inlock means, the latter formed with a guide slot engaging saidintermediate plate, and

said intermediate plate abutting said set screw.

7. The furniture piece, as set forth in claim 5, wherein:

said set screw is provided externally with a hexagonal head and abearingbore, the latter for receiving said bearing pin.

8. The furniture piece, as set forth in claim 3, further comprising:

a bolt axially mounted on said plate, said crossbeam having a threadedcavity in which said bolt is secured,

an adjusting screw adjustably screwed into said crossbeam and mounted insaid plate whereby the position of said plate is adjustable by saidadjusting screw.

9. The furniture piece, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a bracket mounted on said crossbeam about said pivot axis and having atleast one threaded bore and adjustable bolts mounted in said at leastone threaded bore for releasable locking cooperation with said guiderod.

10. The furniture piece, as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

said adjustable bolts have an embossed end shape.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,145,264 7/1915 Pfiug 3122662,641,072 6/1953 Maher 211--178 1,706,829 4/1955 Charnin 211-178 XR3,147,606 9/1964 Holmberg 211--178 XR 3,298,537 1/1967 Di .Marco211--178 ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner R. D. KRAUS, AssistantExaminer US. Cl. X.R.

